Scripture Read: 1
Timothy 4:13-14 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of
Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you
through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.
Application: What does it mean to neglect our gift? Do we do this only consciously or can we
do this unconsciously? What happens if we neglect our gifts? Consider what this
word neglect means:
This word allows both action and
non-action to play a part in the problem. We can abuse our gifts by what we do
or what we don’t do. Using them with wrong motives or by ignoring their God
given purpose. God has given gifts to each of His children for use in the Body
of Christ; Rom 12:4-8 is just one list. He has also given “us” as the Body of
Christ gifts to help equip each individual; Eph 4:11-16. We can and often
consciously refuse to use our gifts, due to many excuses; too busy, not
talented enough, too shy, not spiritual enough, etc., the list could go on. In
doing so, we may not realize it, but we are actually refusing to care for the
abilities the Spirit is desiring to equip us with and help us become more
Christ like. This is seen in both the individual level and the corporate
level. As an example on the
corporate level: the gift of Pastor-teacher in Eph 4 has been abuse by many
local Bodies as I have observed. Instead of having their shepherd
- equip the members for ministry as he is deigned to do, the Church has
the him doing the entire ministry, while they sit and watch. In this case the
Church is not “caring for” the gift God has given that local congregation. An
example of the individual refusing gifts and talents given by God can be seen
when we unconsciously neglect our gifts by just being lazy in ministry, or when
we are not willing to learn from our own mistakes or others. When we stop
learning and think we have arrived, or by not putting ourselves into a place
where our faith is stretched and our
gifts are used in a new way. Some may say they feel tired, so they take a
“leave of absence” from ministry.
Sadly many on RR don’t return and in reality
retire! They stop seeing they have and are a “gift” and forget that they are no
longer their own, but are bought with a price. Gratitude to their Savior is a
lost thought. They continue to “overlook” their gifts and their abilities
suffer. None of us are immune to these short-fallings, because life can throw
some interesting curves and we are “flesh”. The key is to awaken from this
spiritual slumber and get back in the war. Put back on the armor of God.
Because our God is a very merciful and gracious Father, He will enable you to
rediscover your gifts and see them used for His glory again! God has a reason
for the gifs He bestowed on you. My encouragement to you is, do not miss the eternal investment He desires
to produce in you. If you are a gift to a local Body, reclaim what you
should be. Do not let politics or power plays keep you functioning in a way
that denies your gifts! Be who God made you to be! That is where purpose, joy
and peace begin, with an eternal viewpoint!
Meditation Questions: Do
you know your gifts? If so, what are they? If not, why? Do you see others in
the Body as gifts? What does your answer show? If everyone in the Body of
Christ would use their gifts for Christ what would that look like? What would
the world see? Do you think God wants you to minister till you burn out?
Describe what balance is to you? What should you get from your ministry? Is
that question selfish? If you minister in your gifted range what show you get
from your ministry? Are you? What does your answer show?
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